As we promised earlier, we have launched a search for an alternative ketchup. The primary ketchup source for several years has been Heinz from Canada, with liquid sugar and no high-fructose corn syrup. Getting the Canadian Heinz wasn't as easy as going to the local store. The trip required a visit to Canada, either a ground trip or checked luggage on an airplane (ketchup is very much a liquid). I usually do two ground trips per year, but had to cancel the trip in May. This left me stuck going several months without ketchup or finding a substitute ketchup.
Most people don't put much thought into condiments. While people generally have their favorite, they don't spend too much time staring at all the available ketchups in the condiment aisle. I have been looking at too many ketchups lately in grocery stores, so consider this research you don't have to do.
You can go the extreme ketchup route, options include curry ketchup and jalapeno ketchup, but we don't want one that deviates too much from the norm. Finding out that is somewhat normal yet is less sweet would be a feather in the cap of good condiments.
The nominees had to use sugar or other natural sweetener; no artificial sweeteners. Thickness had to be a significant factor. The ketchup had to pass the French fries test. And Heinz was going to have one huge advantage in the first round: any conventional ketchup has to use vinegar ahead of sweetener on the ingredient list. Even organic brands and conventional brands that have sworn off HFCS (Hunt's) still had sweet before vinegar, while Heinz went the other way around.
The first ketchup was definitely different, a local version with a strong fresh tomato taste. The color was brighter than conventional ketchups, tying in that tomato emphasis. Each new ketchup had to work on French fries, no other food would work out as well.
This ketchup had a bold, tomato taste, but failed the French fry test. Taste was flavorful, but not spicy, and definitely too thin. This ketchup will not go to waste since its consistency would be better suited for a cocktail sauce. The "losers" can survive since ketchups aren't just about French fries and burgers; ketchups can be used to add flavor in other dishes.
The second ketchup was, on paper, the ideal solution: Simply Heinz. The newest version of the classic line of ketchups had no high-fructose corn syrup, an ingredient that listed sugar as 3rd behind vinegar (most other ketchups list the sweetener as 2nd ahead of vinegar), and not requiring a long bus ride and custom officials.
Simply Heinz passed the thickness test, but on initial taste, the ketchup felt too strong and sugary. A cousin of the Canadian version of Heinz, they weren't identical cousins. Given a second chance, the ketchup responded better, but still won't ever beat out the Canadian version.
For the second round, we will likely break out of the vinegar/sugar conflict. We fear that sugar/vinegar ketchups will be too sweet, especially since Simply Heinz had that initial diagnosis with a vinegar/sugar ketchup. Hunt's could make the cut since it is now free of high-fructose corn syrup. There are organic ketchups, generic and brand. Ideally, the ketchup would be thick but not obnoxiously sweet. A mix of that great tomato taste with plenty of vinegar, just enough sugar, and not too much salt. There will be more ketchups to try, but it will be nice to pick a winner. Otherwise, we wait until November to be reunited with Canadian Heinz.
If you have suggestions for what ketchups could be next on the list, let us know in the comments section below. They have to be reasonably accessible to try, but don't let that stop you from mentioning one that fits the criteria we've given.
Comments